The Once And Future Time Lord
by dolphinz.amazon
Summary: Arthur Pendragon is actually a Time Lord. Through magic, the effect of the chameleon arch is produced, and Arthur thinks he's human. Only Merlin and Gaius know his secret.
1. Chapter 1

Their friendship had started when they were only 8 years old. Arthur had feigned illness to get out of attending a council meeting (princes of Camelot were trained from an early age), so he had been sent to Gaius. The young boy, Merlin, had watched in awe as the famous child walked in. Of course, he soon found that Arthur was a total prat, and he called him out on this. Gaius raised an eyebrow in warning at Merlin, and Merlin sighed.

"Now then, sire, what seems to be the problem?" Arthur faked a cough.

"I feel terrible. I ache all over and my throat hurts. My head hurts, too."

"Ah, then you'll be needing some of this medicine." Gaius went to get a potion, and Merlin grimaced, knowing it was the worst-tasting potion Gaius had. Arthur squirmed away. "What, don't you want to get better?" Arthur sighed.

"I'm not sick, I'm only pretending to be sick."

"Well then I'll have to send you back to your father."

"Must you? Please don't!" Gaius could not be convinced.

"Merlin, send Arthur back to the king."

"I know a place where we can hide," Merlin suggested as they walked.

"You mean I don't have to go to the meeting after all?" Arthur's face lit up.

"No-one will even know we're there."

"Won't Gaius worry?"

"I told him I would go to fetch some herbs today. I'll come back with some, just to secure my alibi. And I'm sure you'll come up with a good excuse for yourself."

They walked into the forest, until Merlin stopped. "This is where I like to go when I need some time to myself."

"Do you need to be alone often?" Merlin nodded.

"People are prats."

"Even me?"

"Especially you."

"Oi!" Arthur punched Merlin lightly on the shoulder. Merlin punched him back. They laughed. "I can't be a prat, I'm a prince!" Arthur insisted.

"Fine then, a royal prat." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"You know, you have a good sense of humor. For a servant."

"You have a good sense of intelligence. For a prince." That earned Merlin another glare from said prince, but Merlin could tell that they were quickly becoming friends. They kept insulting each other and sharing anecdotes, until finally, it was time to go back. And that was the beginning of the friendship between Arthur and Merlin.


	2. Chapter 2

In the space of a year, the two had become close friends, despite their difference in social status. That was why Arthur was surprised when Merlin disappeared suddenly and without warning one day.

"Gaius?"

"Yes, sire?"

"Have you seen Merlin?"

"He's gone to fetch some herbs. He'll probably be gone all day, maybe longer. They're very rare." Arthur was confused by this. Since they had become friends, Merlin had always taken Arthur with him when he went to fetch herbs. Arthur enjoyed the break from his duties, and Merlin enjoyed the company. Why would he be going alone now?

...

Merlin rushed into the forest, feeling the power he had been born with surging through him. Normally, he could keep it contained, but every once in a while, it wanted out. Now was one of those times. When he finally reached the clearing, he knew he was safe. He let a powerful wind rage, and he drew up the leaves to form a circle around him. He stretched out his arms and made the trees grow taller. He made a small shrub grow and put sticks and leaves on top of it, then set it all ablaze. When the pile was burnt up, Merlin made the fire into the form of a dragon, which he let roam around (carefully, lest he burn anything). He laughed, reveling in the freedom to unleash his magic. Merlin was just about to start another round, when he heard footsteps.

"Merlin? Merlin, where are you? You can't go wandering off without me. I'm your best friend! Merlin!" Merlin said nothing, hoping that Arthur would pass by without seeing him. No such luck. "Merlin, there you are. I've been looking for you all day!"

"Go away, Arthur."

"Why? What have I ever done to you?"

"Nothing."

"Then why can't I join you?"

"It's not safe for you here. Go away before you get hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"I said, go away. Leave me alone."

"No!" Arthur stepped forward, and Merlin felt his magic rising up in him.

"Arthur, no!" he screamed, but it was too late. Power surged out of Merlin, and Arthur was thrown to the floor. Merlin ran up to Arthur. "Are you alright?" Arthur nodded, standing up.

"What was that?"

"I don't know," Merlin replied. Arthur looked into Merlin's eyes (and maybe it was just a trick of the light, but he could have sworn they were gold).

"You're lying. What was that?"

"Well, if I had to guess, I would say it was..."

"What? Don't be afraid Merlin, you can tell me anything. We're friends, remember?"

"Anything?" Arthur nodded. "It was... magic. My magic. I have magic." Arthur gasped. Merlin backed away. "Please don't hurt me."

"Why would I hurt you?"

"Your dad would kill me if he found out. He doesn't like sorcerers."

"Well, I am not my father. When I am king, things will be different."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Now then, show me some more of this... magic." Arthur whispered the word of the forbidden thing, as if even the word was dangerous.

"Well, I can't really control it yet. Gaius is teaching me. I was born with magic, but I'm still learning how to use it." Merlin caused the trees to thicken and spread, so that the two of them were completely in the dark. Then he made a ball of light to float over his palm. He sent it up to hover above them as a sort of mini-sun. He made it rain, and he made a garden grow up around them, full of beautiful flowers. He let the trees go back to normal, and got rid of the light. He created a waterfall around the two of them. He made a pool beneath them, and caused it to show a vision of Arthur as king, with Merlin by his side.

"You're amazing!"

"Glad someone thinks so, instead of just saying I'll get myself killed," Merlin answered with a wry smile.

"Do you use magic in Camelot?" Merlin shook his head.

"Too dangerous. But every now and then, I can't suppress the urge any longer, and then I go here."

"Can I come with you next time?"

"As long as you can come up with a good excuse to leave, sure. And Arthur?"

"Yes, Merlin?"

"No-one must know about this. I'd like to stay alive."

"Of course. Your secret is safe with me." Arthur watched Merlin use his magic for a while longer, then they returned to Camelot.


	3. Chapter 3

A year later, something happened that would change their lives forever. Arthur was 10 now, and it was time for a physical (he had had one at the age of 5, but it had been completely uneventful). He had been to Gaius' chambers often, but this was the first time he would be seriously examined by the physician. Apart from a few faked illnesses, he had never been sick in his life.

Everything was fine, and Arthur was in prime physical condition. At least, until Gaius got to checking the heartbeat. Gaius checked again.

"Have you forgotten how to check the heartbeat?" Merlin joked, showing a sarcastic side that had been getting worse recently, possibly because of Arthur's influence. "Oh wait, maybe it's because Arthur doesn't have a heart!"

"Merlin!" Arthur glared.

"Actually, Merlin, that's the opposite of the problem," Gaius said. "It seems to be the case that Arthur has two hearts."

"Two? How is that even possible?"

"He was born out of sorcery; anything is possible."

"What does it mean?"

"It means," Gaius pulled out an old book to confirm his suspicion, "that Arthur is a Time Lord."

"What's a Time Lord?" Arthur asked.

"An alien. The Time Lords could travel through time (with the help of a special machine), see all of time, and regenerate (change into a different body) instead of dying. They have a different biology, which explains why Arthur's never been sick."

"That's... amazing! It's like magic!"

"Unfortunately, yes," Gaius replied. "If Uther found out, you would be disowned at best, killed at worst."

"So what do we do?" Merlin asked.

"Well, I have a solution, but you're not going to like it, either of you."


	4. Chapter 4

Gaius pulled out a large book and began flipping through the pages. "Ah, here it is." Gaius began to read aloud. "To change a Time Lord into a human, one must use a chameleon arch."

"What's a chameleon arch?" Arthur asked.

"It's a complicated type of machinery that normally runs on advanced science, but we don't have the technology for it. Thankfully, the same effect can be achieved with magic."

"How?" Arthur asked.

"First, you're going to need some object to hold your Time Lord essence, in case circumstances change and you can go back to being yourself."

"How about this?" Merlin held up a golden locket with the image of a clock on it.

"That will do just fine," Gaius said, taking the locket.

"Now, I have to warn you," he informed them, "this will alter your memory".

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"You'll think you're a human and always have been. You'll forget that you are really a Time Lord. And..."

"And?"

"You'll forget about Merlin. Your adventures with him are to closely tied to your identity."

"You mean," Merlin asked, "he'll forget about me? About all the times we had together?" Gaius nodded. "Is there no other way?" He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. There is no other way." Merlin and Arthur began to cry, knowing their friendship would be lost. On a sudden impulse, Arthur hugged Merlin. They shared a sad smile. "Now, when this is over, you must give the locket to someone you trust," Gaius said. "Someone you trust with your life and all your secrets." Arthur didn't hesitate.

"It goes to Merlin."

"Alright, now comes the part you'll both hate. But first, if you don't mind, Athur, I'd like to put a spell on you so you won't feel the pain." Arthur nodded.

"Sounds like a good idea." Gaius performed the spell, and Arthur fell asleep. Merlin began to cry. "I'll need that locket," Gaius interrupted. Merlin handed it over, and Gaius performed another spell. Merlin watched as a golden glow flowed out of Arthur and into the locket.

"That's it?" Merlin asked. Gaius nodded. Merlin sat solemnly for a minute, and then Arthur woke up.

"What am I doing here?" he asked.

"I just finished giving you your physical, sire."

"And how am I?"

"Just fine, sire, but you need some rest. You fell asleep as I was examining you."

"Oh. Well, I'll be going then. Thank you, Gaius," Arthur said, walking away without so much as a glance at Merlin. Merlin would never say anything about it, but that moment broke his heart, especially as Merlin realized that all his interactions with Arthur would be like this from now on.


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin walked into the training grounds and saw Arthur. They hadn't spoken since the change. Arthur had no reason to speak to Merlin, and Merlin couldn't muster the courage to try to rekindle their friendship.

Merlin watched as Arthur threw daggers at the unfortunate boy walking with the target. Arthur, his Arthur, the real Arthur, wouldn't have been like that. From what Merlin had learned in books, Time Lords were incredibly arrogant. But somehow, by removing his Time Lord essence, Gaius had removed all the elements that made Arthur kind, caring, human. This Arthur was much too mean. The boy dropped the target, and it rolled to Merlin's feet. Merlin put a foot on it so the boy couldn't pick it up.

"Hey, come on, that's enough," he said.

"What?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"You've had your fun, my friend."

"Do I know you?"

"Er, I'm Merlin." Merlin held out his hand, cringing inwardly as he remembered that Merlin was a stranger to Arthur now. Their friendship had been erased, all because Uther would not allow magic.

"So I don't know you." Merlin wanted to tell Arthur all about their past, but he knew he couldn't.

"No."

"Yet you called me 'friend.'"

"That was my mistake."

"Yes, I think so."

"Yeah. I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass."

"Or I one who could be so stupid." Had this happened a few years ago, it would have been a friendly exchange. Arthur and Merlin were often insulting each other. But now, it was just an exchange of insults. No friendly intent behind it. The sadness weighed down Merlin's heart more than he cared to think.

...

"Gaius?"

"Yes, Merlin?"

"Will I ever be able to bring him back?" Gaius gave a long, heavy sigh.

"Not until magic is practiced freely in Camelot."

"But..."

"I suppose, when Arthur becomes king, you may tell him. And then, if opportunity arises, you can bring him back."

"If only I could tell him now. I miss him!"

"I know, Merlin. I'm sorry."

...

A while later, Merlin saw that Arthur's life was in danger, and he used magic to save him. Uther (who Merlin had begun to hate for outlawing magic and forcing Arthur to hide his identity) was full of gratitude, and insisted that he was indebted to Merlin.

"You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well..."

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness." Merlin wanted nothing to do with Uther, though he would never dare say it.

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Well..."

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

Arthur looked equally shocked, disgusted, and horrified. This filled Merlin's heart with anger and sadness. But he was happy, because at least he would once again be close to Arthur. And maybe one day, he would be able to reveal Arthur's true nature, and, for that matter, his own.


	6. Chapter 6

Finally, the day came for Arthur to be crowned king. Merlin wanted to tell him then and there, but he saw that Arthur was too busy. Merlin quickly realized that as king, Arthur would always be busy, so a week after the coronation, Merlin got up the courage to speak to him.

"Arthur?"

"Yes, Merlin?" How should he approach the subject. Merlin couldn't just say it directly.

"How do you feel about magic?"

"It's dangerous."

"And?"

"It can't be allowed in Camelot."

"Are you sure?"

"Do you have something to tell me, Merlin?" Arthur asked jokingly. Fear spread over Merlin's face.

"Um... I... uh... well..."

"Sorry, I didn't mean... I mean if you have something to tell me, just say it. You can tell me anything."

"Anything?" Arthur nodded. "Promise?"

"I promise. Just tell me, Merlin, I can see something's bothering you." What should Merlin reveal first, Arthur's identity or his own? He realized that if he revealed Arthur's identity and brought him back, Merlin's identity would automatically be revealed.

"Arthur, tell me about your childhood." Merlin dared not approached the subject directly.

"Sorry, what?"

"Your childhood. When you were a child, you played sick to get out of a council meeting, did you not?"

"Yes..."

"And when Gaius saw that you weren't sick, where did you go?"

"To the woods."

"Alone?"

"I don't see what you're getting at, Merlin."

"Did you go alone?"

"No."

"Then who did you go with?"

"I... I don't know."

"And what about when you were 10 and had a physical examination? What happened then?"

"I fell asleep in the middle of it."

"And before that?"

"I don't know. Why don't I know? Stop scaring me, Merlin!" Merlin said nothing. "Why don't I know?"

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"You know something, don't you?" Merlin nodded. "Well come on then, out with it." Merlin sighed. "What?"

"It's just... I'm not sure you'll believe me. You'll probably think I've gone mad or something."

"What do you mean 'gone mad'? You've always been mad!" Merlin glared. "Sorry. What I meant to say was, I promise I'll try to believe you. Okay?" Merlin took a deep breath.

"You were conceived by magic. Your mother was barren and Uther needed an heir, so he consulted a sorcerer. Somehow, whether it was because of that or some other reason entirely, you were born as a Time Lord, not a human. Time Lords are an incredibly powerful alien race. Gaius has a book on them if you want to learn more. Anyway, Gaius thought that being a Time Lord was too close to being a sorcerer, so he made you a human temporarily, until the time came for your true nature to be revealed."

"Well, you're right about one thing."

"What's that?"

"Your story is hard to believe." Merlin sighed. "But supposing it was true, how would I go back to being a Time Lord?"

Merlin took off the locket he always wore underneath his shirt.

"This holds your Time Lord essence. All I have to do is open it. I've been keeping it safe all these years."

"Why would I give such a valuable thing to you, a servant?" The condescending disbelief was painfully clear in Arthur's tone.

"Because once, you trusted me. Once, a very long time ago, we were friends, and you trusted me with your life and all the secrets and intimate details of it. Once." Merlin tried in vain to hold back tears.

"And what happened?"

"When you were changed, your memory was wiped. I was too close to you, too close to your secret. You lost all memories of me."

"I'm sorry," Arthur said, and it looked like he meant it. "So does that mean I can go back to being a Time Lord now?"

"Maybe, but what will the people say? You must tell Camelot, and they will hardly be receptive if you refuse to allow magic in the kingdom."

"Are you suggesting..."

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting." And you have no idea how much it means to me, Merlin thought.

"I suppose you're probably right, but I'll need to talk it over with Guinevere and my knights first."

"Just... be careful." Arthur nodded.

"If all goes well, I'll soon be seeing you in a very different light. See you later, Merlin," Arthur said with a smile.


	7. Chapter 7

"Gwen?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Suppose a... um... ruler discovered a secret that he really wants to share with everyone, but to do so and be accepted, he'd have to... well... abolish an established, respected law. What do you think that ruler should do?"

"Oh Arthur, what have you gotten in yourself into now?" Arthur sighed. He should have known Gwen wouldn't fall for his trick. She'd have to be an idiot, and he had definitely not married an idiot. If he'd wanted that, he could have married Merlin (well, except for the fact that gay marriage was illegal in Camelot).

"It's... complicated. I'd rather not say just yet. What's your advice?"

"Well, what's the law?" Arthur hesitated, but then he decided he could trust Gwen. If he couldn't trust his Queen, who could he trust?

"It's... the law against magic."

"You're not..."

"No. I don't know anyone, either. Like I said, it's complicated. What do you think?"

"Well, I would say change the law, though that's mostly on account of my father." Arthur nodded. They never spoke of her father often, as it was a rather delicate subject.

"It would certainly be good for Camelot to avoid persecution. Perhaps I could change the ban on magic to laws governing its use." Gwen nodded. "I'm going to go talk to my knights."

"Good luck!" Gwen said, kissing Arthur on the cheek as he left.

...

"So, you're probably wondering why I've gathered all of you here together."

"It's because you love seeing our handsome faces," Gwaine suggested, earning some laughs from the knights.

"Very funny, Gwaine, but I have a better reason than that. I'm thinking about changing one of Camelot's laws, and I'd like to ask your advice." The knights stared at Arthur in shock. Though the king had power to make or abolish laws, no laws had been made in decades, and no king had done so a week into their reign. It was Sir Leon who spoke first.

"Which law would you change, your highness?"

"The law banning magic." The knights' eyes widened further, and their jaws dropped. This was an impossibly radical proposal.

"What would you change?" Sir Elyan asked.

"I would lift the ban, and replace it with a strict set of rules governing the use of magic. Perhaps it would be best to start by allowing magic to be used for healing only." The knights considered this for a moment. "I don't need anyone's approval to change a law, but I'd like to know if I have your support. Do I?"

Percival was the first to answer. "You have my support." Sir Leon raised his hand.

"And mine."

"And mine," Sir Kay said. Slowly, all the nights of Camelot raised their hands and expressed their support.

"Well then, gentlemen, I believe I have some law-writing to do." Arthur walked back to his room and set to work.

...

"Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Can you bring Gwen in to read this?"

"I can read, you know."

"Yes, Merlin, I'm aware of that. I want my Queen's support in the law I'm about to pass. I suppose you can read it, too, but don't think that you'll get any input." Merlin sighed and brought in Gwen. To save Merlin the time, she read the document aloud.

"_It came to pass during the reign of Uther Pendragon that magic was banished in Camelot on penalty of death. Now, times have changed, and by decree of King Arthur Pendragon, the ban on magic is lifted. However, because magic is dangerous, it is not as yet allowed to be practiced freely. Set forth in these documents are the conditions in which magic may be used:_

_1) To avoid death, illness, injury, property damage, etc. _

_2) To heal someone who is already ill or injured. Only healing methods that can be reasonably expected to be effective may be used, unless the patient is dying, in which case any magic that might heal the patient may be used. _

_3) To defeat enemies of Camelot who are fighting citizens of Camelot with magic. _

_4) Any other situations in which a person wishes to use magic must be discussed with the king and approved beforehand. _

_In changing the laws about magic, the king also makes it clear that magic should not be practiced in secret any more. All sorcerers in Camelot, whether residing in the kingdom permanently or merely visiting, must declare that they are sorcerers to the king. If they have previously practiced magic in Camelot, they will not be punished; however, if they do not abide by the new laws, they will face punishment (nothing as severe as death. Cases will be decided on an individual basis.)_ Seems fine to me. I'm glad to see you're taking a step towards equality and toleration, whatever the reason may be." Arthur nodded.

"What do you think, Merlin?"

"It's a good start."

"What, you think I should have written more?"

"No, no, I understand you can't let magic be freely practiced just yet."

"Why are you so eager for magic to be allowed, Merlin?" Merlin said nothing. "Never mind. Forget I said that. Anyway, I'll see you later. I have a law to pass!"


	8. Chapter 8

The king read the law aloud as the people gathered round to hear it. Merlin stood overjoyed with Gaius. "Did you tell him?" Gaius whispered.

"Only about his identity. I didn't tell him my secret."

"And he changed the law for that?"

"Well, I persuaded him. I convinced him that he'd need to change the law to be supported as a Time Lord."

"Fair enough. So will you tell him now?"

"He should find out when I change him back." Merlin started walking away as the crowds began to disperse.

"Where are you going?"

"To Arthur, of course."

Merlin found Arthur in his room.

"I was beginning to wonder where you'd got off to," Arthur said.

"Sorry, the crowds were pretty thick. Are you ready?"

"For what?" Merlin pulled out the locket. "Oh. Yes, I'm ready."

"Now I should probably warn you," Merlin began, "some of the things you're about to discover might be quite... surprising. And I don't know what it will feel like for you to change back... And I don't know if it will be successful..."

"Shut up, Merlin." Merlin sighed.

"Here goes," he said, opening the locket. A golden glow flowed from the locket into Arthur. Arthur stood there, bathed in light, and Merlin couldn't help but admire him. Arthur took a deep breath, then stood for a few moments in shock.

"Hearts. I've got two hearts. That feels strange. I like it. I feel stronger. There's something else. I can sense... time. I can feel all of it, past, present, and future. I'm not quite human anymore, but I feel more like... me. That probably makes no sense to you."

"No, it makes perfect sense," Merlin replied, thinking of how much more he felt like himself when using magic. Arthur looked at Merlin quizzically.

"And now my memories are coming back. You and I... we were friends. Close friends." Then Arthur gasped. "You... you... you have magic." Merlin simply nodded. "And you kept it from me all this time." Merlin nodded, this time with a look of guilt in his eyes. "You lied to me!" Merlin nodded again, tears streaming down his face. He hadn't wanted it to go like this. Though of course, it wasn't surprising. He had known there would be a risk involved. "Why did you lie to me‽ You used to be my friend!"

"I... I... to protect you. I only ever used magic to protect you, Arthur, and I kept it hidden for the same reason."

"Protect me‽ More like protect yourself! How dare you claim that you were protecting me!"

"Arthur..."

"No! I'm having none of it! You lied to me, and I cannot ever forgive you!" Arthur stormed out.

Arthur literally ran into Gwen on the way.

"Slow down, Arthur," she said.

"I'm sorry, Gwen, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"There's no need to apologize. What is it, Arthur? You look troubled."

"It's... complicated."

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me?" Arthur sighed.

"How would you feel if you found out that one of your servants had been lying to you for years?"

"Oh. What are you going to do about it?"

"I've half a mind to execute him, though lying isn't a good enough reason to do so."

"You need to calm down, Arthur, you're in no state to make such a decision now."

"You're right, of course." Arthur sighed. "I need something to take my mind off the issue."

"What about training with your knights?" Perfect, except that Merlin would be there. "No, I'm really not in the mood. I think I'll go to the tavern. I need to dull my mind for a while." Gwen sighed.

"Just... be careful."

"Of course."

Gwen walked away, when she happened to hear crying. It wasn't very loud, but she still heard it. She followed the sound until she reached Gaius' chambers. Tentatively, she walked in.

"What is it you require?" Gaius asked.

"Nothing, I just heard crying and was worried something was happening."

"Nothing to worry about, it's just Merlin sulking."

"Oh. What's wrong? May I talk to him?"

"I suppose."

Merlin's eyes were red and puffy. His face was buried in his hands, and he didn't notice Gwen until she tapped him gently on the shoulder. Startled, Merlin jerked up, then relaxed when he saw who it was. "Gwen?"

"What's wrong, Merlin?"

"It's Arthur."

"What happened?"

"Well, I told him I..."

"You what?"

"Please promise me you won't hate me or storm off or never trust me again. One lost friend is bad enough." Gwen nodded. Merlin took a deep breath. "I have magic," he said quickly. Gwen's eyes widened.

"And that's what you told Arthur?" Merlin nodded.

"And now he hates me."

"Give it some time, I'm sure he'll come round." Merlin sighed.

"I sure hope you're right."

But Arthur didn't come round. He made the announcement to the people of his identity, and they were surprised, but they accepted him. Gaius confessed that he had magic, and Arthur was upset for a while, but quickly changed his mind when he saw how much more effective Gaius was as a physician when he could use magic openly. And still, Arthur couldn't forgive Merlin. The knights saw how distant the two were, and how much it hurt Merlin. They all tried to talk to Arthur in their own way, but nothing convinced him. Merlin thought he would be hated forever. But that all changed the day Arthur became sick.


	9. Chapter 9

Nobody knew how it had happened. Arthur was a Time Lord, so he was supposedly safe from human diseases. There was the possibility that it was an alien disease, but there remained the problem of how it could have reached Arthur. Or maybe it was poison. All the people knew was that one day, Arthur was found to be very ill.

"Good morning!" Merlin said, flinging open the curtains. Instead of being met by the usual insult that had become customary, though, Merlin heard a groan. That was when he knew something was wrong. "Arthur?" There was no response. Merlin put a hand on Arthur's forehead, and jerked it back almost instantly. Arthur was burning up. He debated whether to stay with Arthur or go fetch Gaius, when Arthur began to get up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Arthur said, though he clearly was not. Arthur stood up shakily. "Well? Aren't you going to dress me?"

"I think perhaps you should stay in bed today."

"I didn't ask your opinion, Merlin."

"Well I don't encourage death wishes, Arthur."

"I'm not dying!"

"How do you know?" Arthur glared.

"Just dress me." Merlin sighed and did so. Arthur took a few steps forward, then collapsed into Merlin's arms.

Gaius's face paled as he saw Merlin carrying Arthur. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, but he's very ill. I was hoping you knew what to do." Gaius frowned.

"Well it certainly doesn't help that he's not human. But I'll see what I can do." Gaius began flipping though pages. Finally, he found a spell that looked promising. Gaius began chanting, and within a few minutes, Arthur awoke.

"How do you feel?" Gaius asked.

"Throat... hurts... So hot..." Gaius felt Arthur's forehead and noticed that he still had a high fever. "Everything hurts..." Arthur looked around and saw Merlin. "Get him out of here."

"No, he's my assistant and I'm not getting rid of him just because you don't like him. Do you want to live or not?" Arthur sighed.

"Fine. Do you know how to heal me?"

"I'm not sure," Gaius admitted. He looked through a book, until he finally found something. "Your condition is severe. The only cure is a specific spell shown here, but it requires a powerful sorcerer to cast it. It also requires genuine love and concern on the part of the sorcerer, and complete trust on the part of the patient."

"Search everywhere. I need someone to restore me to health." Gaius nodded.

"You don't have much time, your highness. If not treated, you will die within a few hours."

"Then hurry up!" Gaius looked at Merlin.

"Merlin can do it."

"Merlin? A powerful sorcerer? I think not. And besides, I need someone I can trust." Merlin looked hurt.

"Arthur?"

"Don't talk to me."

"There aren't many sorcerers, especially not in Camelot where they were hunted down, and powerful sorcerers are very rare. If you refuse my help, you will likely die." Gaius nodded.

"If you want to live, you'll have to swallow your pride." Arthur sighed.

"Fine. But you said the sorcerer had to love me and have concern for me."

"And?" Merlin asked.

"Oh. Well, didn't the spell need trust on my part?" Gaius nodded. "How can you expect me to trust Merlin? How could I trust anyone who kept a secret from me for years? A secret that would have gotten him killed. And then he had the gall to convince me to change the law. He could try to kill me, for all I know!"

"When have I ever hurt you, Arthur? I've spent my whole life saving you. Please, let me save you again. Trust me, I can help you. I'm sorry I lied, and I'm sorry I betrayed your trust. But please, trust me again. I need you." Merlin blushed. "I... I mean... Camelot needs you. If you die now, everything you worked so hard for will be lost. Please, Arthur, just trust me. Let me help you. I just want to help you. I want to serve you. I'll do whatever you want, just please, don't die. Don't refuse life just because of me. Please, Arthur!" Merlin looked completely broken. Tears were streaming down his face, and for a moment, Arthur forgot about everything; he forgot about the lies, forgot about the pain, and just saw a broken man who was desperate to help. For a moment. Then it came back, but Arthur pushed it away.

"Alright. I don't know if I like you, and I'm not sure I've forgiven you, but I see that I have to trust you. Now then, get to it!" Merlin dried his eyes and read the spell carefully. He began to chant words that Arthur couldn't understand. Arthur was full of anger and pain, but he remembered that for the spell to work, he needed to trust Merlin. So he shifted his focus. He remembered all his times with Merlin. Merlin saving his life. Merlin watching over him. Merlin saving his life. Merlin staying close to him. It seemed to be a common theme. He realized that maybe Merlin was trustworthy after all.

Meanwhile, Merlin poured all his thoughts and feelings into the spell. He loved Arthur. As a friend. No, as more than that. He wanted to be with Arthur forever. He wanted Arthur's life to be wonderful, and when things went wrong, he wanted to be the one Arthur came to for comfort. He wanted to be Arthur's friend, his adviser, his... lover? Merlin had so many feelings for Arthur, it was hard to sort through them all. Was this what love was like? He wasn't sure, but he knew he cared about Arthur. And he cared for his well-being. Merlin couldn't imagine a world without Arthur. He didn't want to. Arthur was his life, his destiny. If anything were to happen to Arthur, Merlin would never forgive himself. That was why he had to get this right. He had to save Arthur. Maybe then he would truly have Arthur's trust. Even if not, it would be worth it just to see his Arthur alive. His Arthur? He was getting possessive now? Maybe he was in love. Merlin smiled a little and finished the spell.

"Merlin?"

"Arthur!" Merlin rushed up to Arthur and hugged him tightly. A few seconds later, he realized what he was doing and stepped back, embarrassed. "Um... hi. You're alive!"

"Thanks to you."

"Are you actually thanking me? Are you sure you're alright?" Merlin joked.

"Don't expect it to happen again any time soon."

"So... do you trust me yet?"

"You saved my life with a skill you've hidden from me for years. I'm still a little mad at you about that, but I think I can trust you now. And... there was that bit required for the spell. What does that mean?"

"Well, it means I love you. But I don't know exactly what that means. I'm still sorting out my feelings."

"So am I."

"But if it is... then what about Gwen?"

"I'm not sure. We'll have to talk to her about it. But I wouldn't worry about that just yet. For now, let's focus on becoming friends again." Merlin nodded.

"It's a good start," he said with a smile.


	10. Epilogue

A few weeks later, Arthur changed the law on magic, allowing it to be used for anything except things that were prohibited by another law (for example, killing another person, except in the case of Camelot's enemies when fighting in battle). Merlin used magic to complete his duties much more quickly, and he spent the extra time with Arthur. They were fast becoming friends, even more than that. Arthur spoke to Gwen about it, realizing that he loved both of them. Merlin admitted that he loved Gwen also, and they agreed to a threesome, though officially Merlin was not married to either of them. The kingdom of Camelot flourished as magic reigned freely, and Camelot even began to host a magic tournament. Merlin won every year, of course, but it was always interesting to see who showed up and what they could do. Camelot came to be known as a place of tolerance, and it soon began to have a diverse range of people and cultures. Camelot prospered, and everyone agreed that Arthur was a great king, Gwen a great queen, and Merlin a great servant. Arthur made it clear that servants were to be respected just as much as nobles, and that nobody was to look down on anybody else. All in all, life was good.


End file.
